


Something Closer to Fondness

by Impala_Chick



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene, Pining, Pre-Slash, not historically accurate, some self-loathing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-23 07:19:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17075864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Chick/pseuds/Impala_Chick
Summary: Remember that time Ben went in and out of consciousness after falling into the Delaware, and all Caleb could talk about was Ben's virginity? This is a continuation of that scene in 1x05.





	Something Closer to Fondness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amoama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amoama/gifts).



> I was doing a TURN rewatch, and I saw your letter, and immediately wanted to write about this episode! Hope you enjoy :)

Caleb knew Ben was going to be fine. He had to be. Washington didn’t know it yet, but Ben was going to win the war for them. To be fair to Washington, the only reason Caleb knew that was because he had seen Ben in action countless times in Setauket. Ben had always been the leader of their rowdy group of miscreants ever since they were kids, even if Ben was younger than him. He was what they call a natural born leader, and smart as a whip. Ben didn’t deserve to die just because he lost his balance on a boat.

So it definitely wasn’t relief that flooded him when Ben woke up coherent enough to ask where the rest of the army had gone. It was something much closer to fondness. Caleb knew then that he was in trouble. 

Ben sat up on his own, and Caleb watched Ben closely for any signs of lingering illness.

“What is it? Why do you persist in looking at me like I’m diseased?” Ben asked, the blanket falling down around his shoulders. He’d put down the liquor Caleb had handed him. His hair was still mussed from sleep, but his eyes looked bright and healthy, and he was nearly good as new.

“You’re not diseased, Tall-boy. You gotta eat before we can go to Trenton,” Caleb said, turning away to grab the leftover rabbit he had wrapped up with salt last night.

“Why do I remember you talking about my virginity?” Ben asked. Caleb froze, but only for a moment. He had thought Ben was out of it when he’d been talking about _that_.

“Ya know what they say. I had to keep talking to you to get you to wake up. I was trying to say something interesting,” Caleb said.

“How do you even know that I’m a virgin?” Ben pushed. Caleb sighed wearily, put down the food, and turned around to face him, trying to come up with an excuse on the spot that was plausible. He was surprised that he was going to have to answer for that particular tangent, but it was his own damn fault for rambling like an arse in front of Ben.

“We talked about it that one night, remember? Right after we joined up. And I haven’t seen you with anyone, so I just kinda figured. And it would have been really unfair had you died a virgin,” Caleb explained with a laugh. Everything he said was true, which made it easier to say. He just left out some of the pertinent bits. Like how Caleb had been paying particular attention to whether anyone else was visiting Ben's tent late at night, because some of the soldiers did enjoy a late night rendezvous or two. If Ben was open to such things, it might have given Caleb an opportunity to propose how they could find comfort in each other. But since Ben was as prim as ever, even in camp where there was debauchery all around, Caleb feared he would probably be revolted if he knew about Caleb’s sexual deviancy. 

When Caleb looked up, Ben was watching him with a crooked grin on his face, like he’d just figured something out.

“I don’t know what you’re thinkin,’ but that look is dangerous,” Caleb joked. But Ben didn’t laugh. He just kept on _looking_ at him. Caleb had to turn away again and busy himself by stacking ammunition in the supply bag, because he was starting to feel embarrassed. Quite the feat considering Caleb hardly ever got embarrassed about anything.

“I feel like you have some kind of personal stake in this,” Ben finally said. Caleb put down the leather bag he was shoving supplies into in order to walk under the makeshift shelter he’d built for Ben. He leered over Ben, hoping he looked at least a little intimidating.

“Careful with what you say next there, Benny boy.” Caleb was sure Ben was about to laugh at him, or worse. 

“You took care of me for a few days, made sure I didn’t die. I really do appreciate it,” Ben said softly as he looked up at Caleb. 

Caleb eased up on the intimidation tactics. “You’re welcome.”

“Sit with me?” Ben asked. Caleb flopped down in the makeshift shelter next to him. Ben wrapped the blanket around Caleb’s shoulders, and pressed his body against Caleb’s side.

“Happy new year, Caleb.” Ben smiled at him, and their faces were so close that Caleb was itching to press forward just an inch or two to close the gap. 

“Same to you.” Caleb was very conscious of Ben’s body heat. He could feel it even through his heavy leather jacket. His arm and his ribs and his hips were tingling where Ben’s body touched his.

“Did you lay with me while I was sick?” Ben asked, his voice teasing.

“Don’t you wish,” Caleb retorted. He most definitely had, but he had done that just to keep Ben warm and try to stop him from shivering. There had been nothing romantic about it.

“It really would have been terrible had I died a virgin,” Ben said then. The hairs on the back of Caleb’s neck stood up as he appraised Ben. He was grinning wickedly, and Caleb didn’t know how to respond. Ben elbowed him in the ribs.

“Hey! It would have been your own damn fault. You had your pick of the Setauket ladies,” Caleb pointed out. 

“As I recall, so did you,” Ben said. Ben’s face turned much more serious as he stared at Caleb. He’d known Ben a long time, and when Ben looked at Caleb like _that_ , there was no doubt there was something heavy that he wanted to discuss, and Caleb wasn’t sure he was in the mood to answer Ben's questions. The only thing worse than not having what he desired would have been having to explain it to Ben. 

“Up ya get. If you’re feelin’ good, then we gotta get a move on,” Caleb finally said. Caleb patted Ben’s knee, but before he could retract his hand, Ben grabbed hold of it.

“Brewster, you’re a mystery,” Ben said as he squeezed Caleb’s hand. A smile slowly spread across Ben’s face again. Caleb let the moment go on a little longer than it should of before he untangled their fingers.

“That's true.” Caleb nodded gravely. “Whatever you want to say, save it. We have work to do.” 

“Aye,” Ben said with a nod. Caleb breathed a sigh of relief a he got up and continued cleaning up their campsite. He had just recently seen Ben on the brink of death, and he wanted to savor the victory. Besides, wartime was not the time for either of them to get soft. Caleb could only hope there would be time for that after.


End file.
